Welcome to the Table: Derby Party Edition — Run for the Roses
There's something about Derby Day that brings out the very best of Southern hospitality — the hats, the roses, the clinking of silver julep cups, and a table that looks like it belongs on the pages of a magazine. This year, we're making it easy, elegant, and completely Kentucky.
Whether you're hosting a small gathering of your closest friends or setting an intimate table for two with the race on in the background, our Run for the Roses Derby Dinner Party menu has everything you need — from the first ham biscuit to the last bourbon ball — without spending your entire Saturday in the kitchen.
That's the whole idea behind our Welcome to the Table blog series: entertaining should feel joyful, not stressful. And Derby Day? That's one of our favorite excuses to make things beautiful.
The Menu
We designed this menu around one non-negotiable rule: everything should be prep-ahead. When post time rolls around, you should be in your seat with a cold julep in hand — not standing at the stove. Here's what's on the table this year.
- On Arrival: Ham & Biscuits — Mini buttermilk biscuits with thinly sliced ham glazed with Stonewall Kitchen Ham Glaze
- From the Board: The Grazing Board — Artisan cheeses, crackers & crudités with Stonewall Kitchen Mild Salsa
- Raise a Glass: The Roses & Roses Mint Julep — Kentucky bourbon, fresh mint & crushed ice with Stonewall Kitchen Spicy Strawberry Margarita Mixer
- Sweet Finish: Pound Cake Bites — Golden pound cake bites with Stonewall Kitchen Chocolate Peppermint Sauce
- Kentucky Classic: Ruth Hunt Bourbon Balls — A Bluegrass tradition since 1921
On Arrival: Ham & Biscuits
If there's a more Kentucky thing to serve at a Derby party than ham and biscuits, we haven't found it. Mini buttermilk biscuits split and filled with thinly sliced ham, finished with a generous brush of Stonewall Kitchen Ham Glaze — sweet, savory, and impossibly easy.
Make the biscuits the night before (or buy good ones from your favorite bakery — we won't tell). Warm them day-of, slice and fill, brush on the glaze, and arrange on your Race Day Melamine Tray. Done. Your guests will think you've been cooking all morning.
From the Board: The Grazing Station
A beautiful grazing board is the heart of any good gathering — and this one is as easy as it is stunning. Artisan cheeses, a handful of your favorite crackers, fresh crudités, and Stonewall Kitchen Mild Salsa right in the bowl of the Race Scene Chip & Dip Set.
The key to a great board? Build it on something beautiful. Our Race Scene Chip & Dip Set does all the heavy lifting — the watercolor jockey scene running the length of the tray is a showpiece all on its own. Add the silver horse head serving fork and spoon and you have a grazing station that's equal parts functional and fabulous.
The best Derby parties feel effortless — even when the host has thought of absolutely everything.
Raise a Glass: The Cocktail Station
No Derby table is complete without a proper julep — and this year we're doing something a little special. Meet the Roses & Roses Mint Julep: classic Kentucky bourbon, fresh mint, crushed ice, and a splash of Stonewall Kitchen Spicy Strawberry Margarita Mixer for a twist that is bright, a little fruity, and completely addictive.
We've also got a Derby Whiskey Sour recipe for guests who prefer something a little more tart. Both recipes batch beautifully if you're serving a crowd. And the Place Your Bet note cards? The perfect finishing touch — one at every seat so guests can pick their horse before post time.
The Roses & Roses Mint Julep
Signature Derby Cocktail · Serves 1
Ingredients:
- 2 oz Kentucky bourbon
- 1 oz Stonewall Kitchen Spicy Strawberry Margarita Mixer
- Fresh mint sprigs
- Crushed ice
Combine bourbon and mixer in a silver julep cup filled with crushed ice. Top with fresh mint and serve immediately. Cheers to the Roses.
Sweet Finish: Dessert Station
For dessert we’re keeping it simple and stunning — golden pound cake bites served alongside Stonewall Kitchen Chocolate Peppermint Sauce for drizzling. Use the silver snaffle bit caddy spoon to pour it tableside and watch your guests’ eyes light up.
And then there are the Ruth Hunt Bourbon Balls. If you’re from Kentucky, you already know. Ruth Hunt Candies has been making these legendary chocolates in Winchester, Kentucky since 1921, and they are as Derby as it gets. Display the open box right on your table — the beautiful equestrian artwork on the lid makes it look completely intentional.
Hosting Tips: Set the Table the Night Before
Here’s our biggest hosting secret: do everything you possibly can the day before the party. Set the table, style your grazing board components, batch your cocktail mixer, and arrange your centerpiece. When your guests arrive, all you have to do is pull things out and pour the bourbon.
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Our Derby Day Hosting Checklist
❖ Set and style the table the night before — placemats, napkins, silver servers and all
❖ Make or buy biscuits ahead and warm day-of
❖ Prep the grazing board components and refrigerate — assemble 30 minutes before guests arrive
❖ Batch the bourbon + Strawberry Margarita Mixer in a pitcher for easy julep service
❖ Print the menu cards and tuck into each napkin fold
❖ Put Ruth Hunt Bourbon Balls on the table in their open box — no wrapping needed
❖ Fill your julep cup centerpiece with fresh red roses the morning of the party
❖ Pick your horse when the field is announced and write each guest’s pick on their place card
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The beauty of this menu is that it works for two people or twelve. Scale everything up, keep the same beautiful presentation, and pour yourself a julep. You’ve earned it.
From all of us at Beeutiful by Design — happy Derby Day. We hope your table is gorgeous, your hat is fabulous, and your horse runs fast. 🌹🐎
Shop the Derby Collection
Every tabletop piece, Stonewall Kitchen gourmet favorite, and Ruth Hunt Bourbon Ball featured in this post is available in-store.
Derby Day Entertaining Experience · Saturday, April 25, 2026 · 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM
11720 Old Shelbyville Rd · Louisville, KY 40243
beeutifulbydesign.com · (502) 742-2498
🐝 Beeutiful by Design · Louisville, Kentucky · beeutifulbydesign.com 🐝
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